Community Report on Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864 By: Samantha Casler and Ariana Grande
Introduction: Located in the northeastern most part of Rhode Island lays the town of Cumberland. Occupying about twenty-eight square miles, this piece of Providence County is home to people of all ages and nationalities. In 2010, the census found that the population of Cumberland was roughly thirty three thousand four hundred.
Children with Special Needs In today’s society, more and more children are being diagnosed with special needs. This is no different for the children of Cumberland, Rhode Island. It is important for schools to offer services to the children who have a chronic disease or disability. These disabilities can be physical, emotional, behavioral or developmental. In the United States, about 15% of children have at least one special healthcare need. This statistic is similar to that of Rhode Island, which is at 17%. Families with children with special needs may have financial burdens, and require special equipment and technology in order to meet the child’s needs. While programs that help children with special needs with everyday life may be offered in schools, families often are not given these resources. They must change their lifestyles to fit with the child’s disability. In 2012, the number of students enrolled in special education classes was the same as that of the state. They both stood at eighteen percent. The majority of these students needed these services due to a learning disability.
Minorities People of different racial groups have different effects on society. When it comes to poverty, different racial groups account for different amounts of poverty. From 2009-2011, the majority of poor children in Rhode Island were white children; this makes up forty nine percent of the population. Twenty one percent of children living in property are made up of some other race. Following this, are black children who make up sixteen percent of children living in poverty. Asian children make up four percent and Native Americans make up one percent. Of the children in poverty, thirty six percent consist of children ages five and younger. Thirty one percent consist of children age’s six to eleven. The children minorities of Cumberland are similar to those of the state. These children are put into these situations mostly due to their family situations. It is not something that they have any say in. These children have to live with the fact that they were born as minorities. They have to rise above this fact and the possibility of poverty in order to do well in school.
Home Life A child’s home life situation can impact their success in school. In the state of Rhode Island there were over two hundred thousand children living with one or more parents. Between the same time periods, of 2009 to 2011, almost seventy thousand lived with an unmarried parent. Children in single parent homes are often more likely to live in poverty. The reason for this is the lack of another person’s income. Students living in poverty often do worse in school. They are more likely to drop out of school and become teen parents due to their constant worry about their financial status. In Cumberland, there are many different scenarios in which children live. These include children living with non- relatives, grandparents, other relatives, married- couple families, and single- parent families. Of these, children living with married- couples are the majority in Cumberland. They make up seventy five percent of the population. Single- parent families are made up of almost fifteen hundred families. They make up the next largest percentage of children, accounting for nineteen percent. Children growing up in a home with both parents, have a larger support system than those who grow up in a single parent home. The home situation for children can alter the way they will be for the rest of their lives.
Poverty
Cumberland
Rhode Island
Median Family Income
$86,050
$70,663
Families Below the Poverty Line
196
17,508
Children Below the Poverty Line
340
37,925
In Cumberland, the median family income is $86,050. However, 196 families with children live below the poverty line, and 340 children live below the poverty line. In general, Rhode Island is home to 17,508 families with children who live below the poverty line. This comes out to about 13-14% of families in Rhode Island live in poverty. Overall, Cumberland’s median family income is higher than the general income for all of Rhode Island, with the median family income of Rhode Island being $70,663. This being said, Cumberland is a generally sound town in terms of money and family income. Because the median family income is above the median family income of the state, it can be assumed that Cumberland is mainly made up of comfortable middle class citizens.
Mother's Education
Cumberland
Rhode Island
Bachelor's Degree of More
55%
35%
Some College
15%
17%
High School Diploma
18%
26%
Less Than High School Diploma
5%
16%
Studies have shown that a mother's educations directly effects their child's education. Mother's who graduated from high school and went off the college, will mostly likely raise children who will graduate from high school, and go off to college. In Cumberland, 55% of mothers of children have at least a Bachelor’s degree or more. 15% of mothers ended their educational degree with just some college, 18% of mothers graduated with a high school diploma but did not go on to college, and only 5% dropped out of high school. In Rhode Island as a whole 35% went on to college and received a bachelor’s degree or higher, 17% went on to experience some college, 26% graduated high school, and 16% dropped out of high school.
Language
Cumberland
Rhode Island
Speak Only English at Home
84%
79%
Speak Only Spanish at Home
2.5%
10.3%
Speak Not Well/Or None At All
2.2%
4.8%
Language is not necessarily a barrier in Cumberland Rhode Island. With the majority of residents speaking only english at home, and as their first language, there is no barrier between people by language. In Cumberland, 84% of the population speak only English at home. 2.5% of the Cumberland population speak Spanish at home, and 2.2% speak English not well or not at all. In Rhode Island, 79% of the people speak only English at home, 10.3% speak Spanish at home, and 4.8% speak English not well or not at all. Overall, English is the primary language of residents who live in 02864.
By: Samantha Casler and Ariana Grande
Children with Special Needs
In today’s society, more and more children are being diagnosed with special needs. This is no different for the children of Cumberland, Rhode Island. It is important for schools to offer services to the children who have a chronic disease or disability. These disabilities can be physical, emotional, behavioral or developmental. In the United States, about 15% of children have at least one special healthcare need. This statistic is similar to that of Rhode Island, which is at 17%. Families with children with special needs may have financial burdens, and require special equipment and technology in order to meet the child’s needs. While programs that help children with special needs with everyday life may be offered in schools, families often are not given these resources. They must change their lifestyles to fit with the child’s disability. In 2012, the number of students enrolled in special education classes was the same as that of the state. They both stood at eighteen percent. The majority of these students needed these services due to a learning disability.
Minorities
People of different racial groups have different effects on society. When it comes to poverty, different racial groups account for different amounts of poverty. From 2009-2011, the majority of poor children in Rhode Island were white children; this makes up forty nine percent of the population. Twenty one percent of children living in property are made up of some other race. Following this, are black children who make up sixteen percent of children living in poverty. Asian children make up four percent and Native Americans make up one percent. Of the children in poverty, thirty six percent consist of children ages five and younger. Thirty one percent consist of children age’s six to eleven. The children minorities of Cumberland are similar to those of the state. These children are put into these situations mostly due to their family situations. It is not something that they have any say in. These children have to live with the fact that they were born as minorities. They have to rise above this fact and the possibility of poverty in order to do well in school.
Home Life
A child’s home life situation can impact their success in school. In the state of Rhode Island there were over two hundred thousand children living with one or more parents. Between the same time periods, of 2009 to 2011, almost seventy thousand lived with an unmarried parent. Children in single parent homes are often more likely to live in poverty. The reason for this is the lack of another person’s income. Students living in poverty often do worse in school. They are more likely to drop out of school and become teen parents due to their constant worry about their financial status. In Cumberland, there are many different scenarios in which children live. These include children living with non- relatives, grandparents, other relatives, married- couple families, and single- parent families. Of these, children living with married- couples are the majority in Cumberland. They make up seventy five percent of the population. Single- parent families are made up of almost fifteen hundred families. They make up the next largest percentage of children, accounting for nineteen percent. Children growing up in a home with both parents, have a larger support system than those who grow up in a single parent home. The home situation for children can alter the way they will be for the rest of their lives.
Poverty
In Cumberland, the median family income is $86,050. However, 196 families with children live below the poverty line, and 340 children live below the poverty line. In general, Rhode Island is home to 17,508 families with children who live below the poverty line. This comes out to about 13-14% of families in Rhode Island live in poverty. Overall, Cumberland’s median family income is higher than the general income for all of Rhode Island, with the median family income of Rhode Island being $70,663. This being said, Cumberland is a generally sound town in terms of money and family income. Because the median family income is above the median family income of the state, it can be assumed that Cumberland is mainly made up of comfortable middle class citizens.
Mother's Education
Studies have shown that a mother's educations directly effects their child's education. Mother's who graduated from high school and went off the college, will mostly likely raise children who will graduate from high school, and go off to college. In Cumberland, 55% of mothers of children have at least a Bachelor’s degree or more. 15% of mothers ended their educational degree with just some college, 18% of mothers graduated with a high school diploma but did not go on to college, and only 5% dropped out of high school. In Rhode Island as a whole 35% went on to college and received a bachelor’s degree or higher, 17% went on to experience some college, 26% graduated high school, and 16% dropped out of high school.
Language
Language is not necessarily a barrier in Cumberland Rhode Island. With the majority of residents speaking only english at home, and as their first language, there is no barrier between people by language. In Cumberland, 84% of the population speak only English at home. 2.5% of the Cumberland population speak Spanish at home, and 2.2% speak English not well or not at all. In Rhode Island, 79% of the people speak only English at home, 10.3% speak Spanish at home, and 4.8% speak English not well or not at all. Overall, English is the primary language of residents who live in 02864.
Citations
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_13.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013. http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/13_Factbook_Indicator_13.pdf.
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_2.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013.
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_22.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013.
“RIKCFactbook2013 - 13_Factbook_Indicator_7.pdf.” Accessed October 21, 2013. http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/13_Factbook_Indicator_7.pdf.